Righting the Wrongs
by CollegeChick14
Summary: You wake up in the body of Bella Swan with all of her memories on top of your own. You can't explain the pull you feel for Edward and the Cullens. Are you dreaming? Will you be able to fix the mistakes you've read about? Cannon Fix. Slow Burn/Fluff. Rated T for language
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Awakening**

I was having the strangest dream when I awoke in a car. I was sweating and extremely confused, since I'd never been in this car or met these strangers before. I was even more confused when my subconscious reminded me that that is just my mother Renee with her new husband Phil and they are driving me to the airport. I gazed out the open window into the vast dry landscape I had never seen before, but felt comfortable in.

We arrived at the airport in Phoenix. I knew where I was without even needing to look at the street signs. Renee was trying to talk me into staying, but I knew I had to go to Forks to live with my dad Charlie and I felt an unexplainable pull to get on that plane. Alone on the plane, I finally had time to think. Was I dreaming? This wasn't my life, but yet somehow it was. I still had my memories of a life lived, but I also had Bella's memories. This life seemed familiar somehow and I wasn't sure why. I had just left Phoenix, a place I had never even visited, yet had felt like home and now I was headed to Forks. I knew I had never been to the west coast, but I still remembered visiting Forks and California to visit Charlie. Why did this all seem so familiar?

I was glad that Bella and I had both flown before and we knew what to do. Now that was strange; I knew my name wasn't Bella, but I still answered to it like it was. I enjoyed my layover in Seattle; it gave me time to think and prepare myself. The small plane to Port Angeles was too noisy to think properly, but for the first time since waking up in the car I felt a little nervous.

I saw the police cruiser before the plane landed and knew Charlie was here to pick me up. His greeting was awkward and I was glad he was content to drive in silence. I took the time to acknowledge my surroundings. I had never been in a police cruiser before and was fascinated. I was even more intrigued by the landscaping. I could feel my body trying to grimace, but I was in awe of the green landscaping passing by the windows.

Charlie turned down a street that felt eerily familiar and went to park in front of a little two story house that edged the woods. It wasn't the house that caught my attention, but the antique red truck sitting in the driveway. I felt my panic rising in my stomach and focused on my breathing. Charlie was explaining it was a gift for me and I tried my hardest to turn my panic into gratitude. I hoped he would be too focused trying to ignore my emotional outbreak to see my fear. It worked and Charlie practically ran into the house with me hot on his heels.

Charlie showed me around the house even though I already knew where everything was. He apologized for only having one bathroom and I had to agree it would be a challenge having been raised by a single mother. He showed me my room and I was happy that there were knew items that didn't bring up any of Bella's memories. Charlie left me to unpack and I laid my bags on the bed. That's when I noticed the computer and had to hold back laughing. The thing was old and massive; my God, who was still using such a thing. Curious whether it still worked, I went to go turn it on.

I stopped midway to the desk and turned to look into the mirror attached to the dresser. The face looking back was not my own, of that I was sure. How could it take me so long to realize this wasn't my body. I was now staring at someone who was younger, taller, thinner, and paler than myself. I definitely wasn't this brunette and my eyes are not that shade of brown. What was wrong with me?

I ran to the computer to search what in the world was going on with me. I had to chuckle when I saw the logo for Windows97 pop up, but that laugh was cut short when I noticed the date on the little calendar. It was January. I knew that, but what threw me off was the year.

 **2005**

That's not possible; it must be wrong. I went to pull my cellphone out of my pocket and froze. I didn't have a phone. The computer had finally finished loading and I opened the internet to search the date. Sure enough the date was the same. What? How? I'm not only in someone else's body, living someone else's life, but I've also gone back in time? I couldn't help the tears that started to flow. I couldn't stop my sobbing and walked to the bed pushing all my stuff onto the floor. I curled under the covers and cried myself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: First Day**

Charlie woke me early the next morning to remind me I had school. God, school! I groaned then shot straight up. How old was I? I calmed down when I remembered that I was currently living the life of 17 year old Bella Swan in Forks, WA. Then I recalled my dreams from last night; I was in my old life and my friends were trying to get my attention, but I was enjoying reading a book. Twilight! Oh My God! That's why this life seems so familiar outside of Bella's memories; I read about it. That explained the almost panic attack when I saw the truck. I must be dreaming if this life was in a book I read.

I jumped out of bed and almost fell when Charlie yelled that I didn't want to be late for my first day of school. Ugh, high school and I was only halfway through my junior year. Well, I took a deep breath, I could do this! I've been through high school before and can do it again. I pulled my bags back on the bed again to get ready when I glanced at the mirror. I froze once again, then smiled. I would be much prettier in high school this time around at least.

I quickly jumped in the shower, then scrambled to find something to wear. I really needed to go shopping for warmer clothes. I decided to let my hair air dry and left it down. I was surprised to find Bella owed very little makeup. I thought Renee at least would've suggested some blush or bronzer to help with this paleness. I shrugged and decided against cosmetics; it would save me time in the mornings anyway. Charlie had already left for work when I ran down the stairs, almost falling in the process. I had forgotten how clumsy this body was; I would need to be more careful. I searched the fridge and cupboards for breakfast, settling for a slice of cold leftover pizza. Someone really needed to go grocery shopping; at least Bella and I both knew how to cook.

I walked slowly and carefully to my truck. I got in and was surprised how much I liked this vehicle. I turned the key and it roared to life. Okay, I could do without that noise. I looked down to put it in reverse and froze. Shit! It's a clutch! Of course it's a clutch; they didn't make automatics back then. Okay, okay. What to do; what to do? Wait, Bella drove this truck in the book, so she must know how to drive a standard. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I relied on my instincts and slowly backed out of the driveway. I made it to school surprised at how easy the drive had been. Huh, maybe this dream life wouldn't be too bad to live with using our combined knowledge.

I parked and made my way to the office. Meeting Mrs. Cope gave me unexpected anxiety. If all these people truly exist here, did that mean the supernatural ones existed as well? I shook my head. Vampires and werewolves weren't real and I only had to put up with this dream life until I eventually woke up. I made my way to English and was not surprised to find that between Bella and I, we had the syllabus covered. After class I ran into an over-eager Eric Yorkie. I held back my groan; I forgot I would have to deal with these boys thinking I was the most eligible bachelorette. I tried blowing him off as I made my way to my next class. I met Jessica and had to bite my tongue. She was super talkative trying to push her way into becoming my friend, but I knew she was doing it for her own popularity.

Jessica walked me to lunch and I was a bit nervous. I knew I would meet Mike, Lauren, and Tyler. I was excited to talk to Angela since I knew she would be a good friend to me. But what I was most nervous about were the Cullens. I still had my doubts that they existed or that they would be vampires and not just a rich beautiful family. Jessica led me to her usual lunch table and into an empty seat next to her. I was a bit disappointed as I would've rather sat next to Angela.

Mike started to say something and as I looked up from my tray; I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. There sitting at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria were the Cullens. I knew they had to be; there was no other explanation. They were exactly as described and even from where I was sitting I knew they weren't human.

I couldn't help but stare. They were all so beautiful, but they looked bored. I guess I would be bored if I was them as well. Jessica caught me staring with a giggle and I played out the question and answer game with her about the Cullens. I almost choked when she brought up about Edward not dating. Just then Edward caught my gaze and my breath stopped.

This morning I had been resolved that if the Cullens did exist, I would just stay away from them. What I hadn't counted on was being irrevocably drawn to Edward. It took all I had to stay in my seat and not go to him and as I was the first to break eye contact, I wondered if he felt the same. I felt a bit of sadness when I realized he was probably just trying to read my mind even though Jessica told me he was still staring. I spent the rest of lunch in a haze barely breathing. Jessica almost pulled me from my seat since I wasn't paying attention to the bell ringing. I shuffled my feet with a sick feeling in my stomach as I made my way to my next class.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Surviving**

I slowly made my way to biology. I waited outside the door trying not to hyperventilate, while the students filed in and took their seats. I peaked my head around the corner and sure enough there was Edward with an empty seat beside him. I wanted to scream and curse and run; do whatever I could to get me out of that class today. I was beginning to panic. I wondered should I say something. Maybe whisper to him from the hall, tell him to hold his breath. Then I wondered would he believe me or would he be more likely to kill me, since I knew something was up.

The bell rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I took a deep breath and decided that if Bella survives this class in the book, I would survive also. I said a hasty prayer, just barely stopping myself from making the sign of the cross. I quickly walked into the room, practically running past the heating vent. I stopped at Mr. Banner's desk and handed him my forms. As he pointed to the only empty seat in class, I finally looked at Edward.

I gulped and immediately regretted my decision not to warn him. I suddenly thought of the phrase _if looks could kill_. I was trying to keep from panicking, as I carefully made my way to my seat, all the while pleading with my face. I knew he couldn't read my thoughts, but I was trying so hard to let him know I was sorry and to please not kill me. I pulled my chair as far away as I could while making sure he could get past to run away. I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breathing. A pounding heart would only make me more appetizing.

That class was the longest hour of my life. I tried to stay as still as possible and take small breaths. I even debated feigning ill to leave early, but vetoed that idea when I thought it made me look like easier prey. Finally, the bell rang and Edward sprinted out. I let out my breath and said a silent _thanks_ before making my way to gym.

Unfortunately, Mike stopped me and offered to lead the way. I wasn't in the mood to tell him off after barely surviving the last hour and agreed. He made small talk and I could tell he was trying to flirt with me. I blew him off when he brought up Edward's behavior. Thankfully, I didn't have to participate in gym the first day and I was glad. I was sure I'd be more likely to be injured today with the way my mind was thinking.

I had to make plans; decide what I was going to do. I could let everything follow as it had in the book, but I didn't want to almost die multiple times in the upcoming year. I knew Edward would leave for Alaska tonight and I wouldn't see him until Monday, so I was safe for the time being. I decided to go grocery shopping after school just in case. I knew he debated leaving for Denali or going to my house to kill me, before choosing the former. The least I could do for everyone would be to remove myself from temptation.

I wondered if I should go see Carlisle at the hospital. Maybe I could talk to him about Edward. No, that probably wouldn't work, since Edward goes straight to his office after dropping everyone off. I wouldn't want to risk being alone with Edward right now and besides Carlisle will leave the hospital right afterwards anyway.

I could always leave Forks. It would break my dad's heart, but I could move this week back to Phoenix. Did I want to leave? Did I want to ignore the pull I felt for Edward? Even when I knew how badly he wanted to kill me, I still wanted to reach out and comfort him. I knew Bella was born to be Edward's mate; could I be so cruel as to let him be alone for the rest of eternity?

Mike pulled me out of my thoughts when class was over. This was going to be annoying. I knew Eric would eventually get over me. Actually, so would Tyler after a while even though he won't be interested in me until after the accident. But Mike is a lost cause; he'll still want me even at my wedding.

I snuck out of the locker room when I knew Mike was still changing. I was headed to the parking lot when I remembered I had to drop off my signed form. As I approached the office, I saw a glimpse of red hair. I knew Edward would be trying to change classes and decided to wait in the hall until he was done. Edward stormed out of the office and almost ran into me. I stuttered back and he growled as he pushed past. I looked at his retreating form before entering the office.

When I got to my truck, the parking lot was pretty much deserted and I breathed a sigh of relief. I survived meeting my singer; now I just had to decide my next move. I drove to the grocery store while keeping my eyes out for a silver Volvo or black Mercedes. I didn't spot any though and felt a wave of disappointment as I entered the store. I then participated in what was the longest shopping trip I ever willingly had. I took my time browsing until I was sure Charlie would be home. I took the time to pick up a prepared meal for us.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Decisions**

I awoke with a start as Charlie pounded on my door mumbling something about being told I was an early riser. I shook my head and started getting ready; I was already dreading the day. Driving to school today though, I noticed the Volvo and realized I had to decide what to do. Bella wasn't a procrastinator, but I was and continued to debate the options. Mike found me at my truck and walked me to class even though he wasn't in it. I knew Jessica would be irritated since she has a crush on him, but I couldn't bring myself to care today. Edward wasn't here and I still had to decide what to do.

I went through my morning in a fog. I wasn't really paying attention to anything accept my options. I could leave Forks, which I really didn't want to do as it would break Charlie's heart and Edward's even if he didn't know. I could let everything happen as I knew it should, but I didn't want to do that either since it involved a lot of pain both physically and emotionally. There just didn't seem to be a good answer.

Finally, Jessica got my attention and again led me to lunch. I looked towards the Cullen's table and again felt disappointed when I didn't see Edward there. I sighed, well there goes the option to leave since I could never go through with it. I spent lunch continuing to internally debate and I was looking at the Cullen's table when I finally made up my mind. I would talk to Alice. She knew how to block Edward from her mind and who better to discuss the future with, than someone who sees it. As soon as the decision was made, Alice looked up meeting my gaze with a curious look on her face.

I took a deep breath as the bell rang, glad I hadn't bought any lunch today. I avoided the questioning glances from my table as I made my way over to Alice. Only her and Jasper remained seated and I wondered what she had told her siblings. I had decided to approach Alice, but not what I was going to say, so she looked intrigued when she and Jasper stood at my approach.

I stuttered out a false cheery, "Hi, Alice. Um, is there anyway I could speak with you after school today? I have gym for last period, but I'm not sure where you'll be, so I wanted to ask you now. I umm just need some advice on something and I really think you're probably the only person who would know what to do in my situation."

I hoped I made sense and glanced at Jasper who had his head tilted thinking. I'm pretty sure that as fast as I spoke I probably would've needed to repeat that for a human to understand. I turned back to look at Alice who had frozen. She then broke into a huge smile, grabbed my arm and led us out of the cafeteria. I heard Jasper clear his throat behind us.

"I would love to talk with you, Bella! I'll meet you after last period! Don't worry I'll find you!" She chirped out.

She then dropped my arm and grabbed Jasper's hand as they turned around and started walking in the other direction. I was confused and looked around at where they left me. Huh, I was right in front of my biology classroom. I chuckled and shook my head. It would take some time for me to get used to Alice.

I spent biology and gym distracted. I wanted to figure out what to say to Alice but I didn't want her to know what I was going to say ahead of time. Unfortunately, being distracted in gym is never a good thing for me and I ended up hit with the ball a few times. Mike kept trying to get me to tell him what my discussion with Alice was about. I told him I was just being nice since she's in our year. He didn't buy it, but I didn't care. Let him and Jessica think I'm trying to get Edward through Alice because that's not far from the truth.

I left gym in a bad mood and almost ran into Alice. I grabbed her and pulled her around the side of the building, out of sight from the other students. She followed me with a smile on her face.

"Alice," I whispered. "I don't know if your siblings can hear us or if you want them to, but I really need to talk to you about the future. It involves your family and myself, but particularly Edward."

Alice grinned. "What do you mean?" She asked sweetly.

I gritted my teeth; she was playing hard ball. "Well," I stammered. "I've been having…dreams…," Yeah, dreams seem like a pretty good excuse, after all I am dreaming, aren't I. "…Since before I left Phoenix and they involve all of us for the next two years in Forks." There that seemed like a good explanation.

Somehow, her grin got even wider as did her now golden eyes. "Would you like to come over to our house tonight and we can discuss it?" She asked like a 3 year old who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

I visibly gulped. I knew the Cullens wouldn't hurt me, but at the same time I was just asked to enter the lion's den. And not only did she want me to enter the den, but also spill my secrets to everyone. I threw out the only excuse I had.

"Um, well my dad, Charlie…" I mumbled.

Before I even finished the word _Charlie_ , Alice had her hand out with a silver cell phone sitting in her palm. I gasped and blinked. I'd been set up and Alice knew I knew.

"Here," she said. "You can use my phone to call your dad at the station. Tell him we invited you for dinner and you won't be out late." I hesitated reaching for the phone. "I can dial the number to the station for you if you don't know it." She quipped.

I glared at her, but grabbed the phone and called my dad. He agreed pretty easily after he found out I had made a friend in Alice Cullen. I had forgotten that Charlie strongly liked the Cullens. I just hoped he would like Edward when the time came.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Meetings**

I handed Alice back her phone when I hung up and she led the way to the parking lot. My truck and the Volvo were the only two cars left and my nervousness set in as I realized what was happening. Jasper and Emmett were leaning against the car with raised eyebrows, while Rosalie sat in the driver's seat with a scowl on her face. I wondered if I should say something to the other three Cullens. Thankfully, Alice spoke first and I gave a little wave to the others.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll ride with Bella in her truck, so she doesn't get lost." Alice ordered.

The boys nodded and got in. Alice continued walking to my truck and waited by the door for me to unlock it. After I pulled out of the lot, I confronted Alice.

"I don't appreciate being ambushed like that." I complained.

Before I could say anything else, Alice responded. "I believe I was the one who was ambushed, Bella. At lunch and when you pulled me behind the gym."

I huffed, "Yeah, well I don't like that you used my dad against me. And what was that joke about having me for dinner? Hmmmm?"

Alice just started laughing. "You really do know about us don't you?" She managed to get out after a while. "I did call and ask Carlisle to pick you up something to eat on his way home from work, so that wasn't a lie about dinner." She giggled

I relented, "Okay, Alice, so what exactly do you know about me and what will happen tonight?"

Alice looked towards me with a tilted head. "Honestly?" She asked and I nodded. She sighed "I don't actually see too many specifics about tonight because I don't think you know what you're going to say yet." I nodded again and she continued. "When you approached me at lunch earlier, I saw you at our house speaking with everyone except Edward. So, after I left you, I called Carlisle to see if he could come home early today with time to be able to pick up food. When he agreed, I knew it would be tonight."

I nodded, feeling a bit like a bobble head at this point. I had one last question for her before we arrived.

When Alice pointed out the turnoff to their driveway, I asked. "You say you didn't see much, but you knew I knew about you." I hoped that made sense.

She shrugged. "It wasn't so much my visions that told me you knew. You were pretty obvious around me." She giggled.

I started thinking about my actions today, but I couldn't think of anything specific I did. Alice interrupted my thoughts and had me pull next to the Volvo in front of the garage. I hadn't even realized we had arrived. I got out of the truck, looked at the house for the first time and gasped. Alice saw my reaction and giggled. Then she grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs into the house.

I saw that her family was stationed at various spots around the home, leaving distance between us. I knew it was just for show, but wasn't bothered that I could be killed in seconds at any time. I was too busy taking in the house. I turned in a circle taking in the grand space that surrounded me.

"This place is incredible." I gasped out loud, knowing it would earn me brownie points.

"Thank you, dear. You're too kind." Esme gushed, as she was the first to slowly approach me.

I grabbed her hand, not surprised by the hard cold I felt. "Esme, it's such a pleasure to meet you." I replied fondly.

She seemed shocked and my smile faded. I saw Carlisle approach us and realized I just made a big faux pas regarding his mate; I quickly dropped her hand and stood up straighter. I heard a tinkling laugh from my left, but dismissed it.

Carlisle approach me with his hand held out. "So, it seems you know my wife. Should I take that to mean you know who I am as well?" He jested.

I grabbed his hand in a firm handshake. "Uhhhh Yes! Carlisle… I mean… Dr. Cullen… uhhh… Sir!" I responded while shaking his hand and nodding my head.

Carlisle released my hand laughing, as the rest of the room broke out in various forms of laughter. He then led me towards the large dining room table.

"I assume you know my children as well. Let's have a seat and we can discuss why you're here." He told me as he pulled out my chair at the head of the table.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Confessions**

"Now, would you like to start and explain the reason why you're here?" Carlisle asked nicely.

I glared at Alice to my right. "I'm here because Alice forced me to come." I grumbled. This was met with various laughs.

Carlisle silenced the room and tried again, "There must have been a good reason for Alice to suggest you come speak with us."

I raised my eyebrow at the word _suggest_ , but recognized that Carlisle was using his calming doctor voice on me. I sighed, defeated and turned my head down to look at my hands on the table. Deciding where to start, I sighed again and looked up.

"You all know my back story, correct? How I came from Phoenix to live with my dad who is the chief of police?" I asked, already sure of the answer. At their nods, I continued. "Well, before I left Phoenix, I started having dreams. At first, I thought they were just that, dreams. My mind's way of dealing with the move here. But… then… well, the dreams started coming true." I thought that was a reasonable explanation for the knowledge I held. I shrugged and Carlisle interrupted me.

"What do you mean _coming_ _true_?" He asked concerned.

"Well, my classes are the same and so are the students and staff. But I could've ignored that." I looked at Carlisle. "It was seeing your family that made me realize I maybe needed help with what I knew. That's why I asked Alice." I turned to Alice. "I _thought_ we could keep it between us and she would know how to handle the future." I focused again on Carlisle and Esme. "I know what could happen in the next two years for us. Don't misunderstand me, there's a lot that's good, but there's also more than a few events that will cause pain both physically and emotionally for all of us. I would like help in avoiding the negatives."

Esme interrupted me, "When you say _us_ what do you mean?"

I paused, thinking how to respond without ruining everything. "I say _us_ because I am intrinsically linked with your family and…" I stopped myself. I was about to say I will be linked with your family forever, but knew that would be giving away too much. I glanced at Alice and her face told me she knew. I tried again. "And that's not the question you should be asking right now. The question you should be asking is what else has come true and what do I know about your family."

With a nod of his head and slide of his hand, Carlisle moved for me to continue. I knew he didn't miss the exchange between Alice and I.

I cleared my throat. "Well, you have to understand that I didn't know anything at first. When I arrived things seemed eerily familiar, but I shrugged it off as repressed memories from when I used to visit here. It wasn't until I saw my truck and almost had a panic attack that I even suspected anything was wrong. That night I had another dream and it brought them all back. But again, when I arrived at school, I just thought I was being silly. Because… well… ummm… my dreams contained… ehhhhh…" I looked around the table, thinking of the proper word. "… _mythical_ _creatures_."

I flinched when I said that. I paused and looked around the table. They all seemed too shell shocked to be angry, so I grabbed my chance and continued. "Again, I thought I was being silly. What were the chances this Cullen family actually existed and if they did that they wouldn't just be the normal snobby, rich, beautiful people everyone thinks you are." I chuckled nervously.

They all still seemed pretty shocked, so I began the section of my story that nobody else could ever know about. "But when I saw you sitting at that corner table yesterday, I knew. I knew it all to be true." I looked up to see if there was a reaction yet.

When I realized there wasn't, I said the first thing that came to mind. "I know I am Edward's singer." At their gasps, I rushed to finish. "I knew before biology class. _La Tua Cantante._ I almost thought to warn him; I debated with myself until the last moment. I worried that if I warned him, he wouldn't listen. Who am I to him?" I chuckled sadly. "I thought if he doesn't listen and takes a breath, will he be more likely to kill me if I know your secret?" I shrugged. "So, I left it in Edward's hands. He didn't kill me in the dream and he didn't kill me yesterday." I looked up with a soft smile on my face.

Their faces still showed their shock, but that shock was beginning to crack into horror, disbelief, or anger so I pushed on. "Now, how can I show you that what I say is true? Yesterday, after you left school, Edward dropped you off and drove to the hospital to meet Carlisle. They then switched cars and Edward drove the Mercedes up to Alaska, where he is staying with the Denali coven probably trying to avoid Tanya." I chuckled at my own joke. "Now to prove I know some of the future. _Without_ interference from _anyone_ , Edward should return on his own Sunday in time to go to school on Monday."

At that prediction, the trance was broken. Carlisle turn to Alice. "Alice, can you confirm that's true?" He asked firmly.

I saw Alice concentrate for a moment then frown. "Edward doesn't even know what he's doing, so how am I supposed to know?" She complained.

Carlisle nodded and addressed the table. "No one is to contact Edward until I say it's time. That is a direct order. No one will ruin this test Bella has given us. Understood?" The heads around the table nodded in agreement.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Questions**

I relaxed after Carlisle's declaration; until the questions started flying. I think they forgot I was human. Thankfully Alice stopped the madness.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Alice screamed. "Before we get to the question and answer portion of tonight, Bella needs to eat dinner during it." She then broke into a sly smile. "And I get to ask the first question."

There was a chorus of groans that Esme shushed. "Oh, of course, dear. Where are my manners? Let me go heat up what Carlisle brought you." And with that she took off for the kitchen before I could blink.

I squeaked out a quiet "Thank you." And heard a responding laugh from the kitchen.

Alice approached and grabbed my hands before asking her question. "So," she sang. "Do you know what Edward is doing right now?"

I laughed and shrugged. "No, I don't know what he's doing right now, but I could take a guess." At her happy nod, I guessed. "I know he'll spend a lot of time laying in the snow looking at the stars while hiding in the wilderness away from Tanya."

Alice squealed and hugged me. This time I grabbed her hands. "Can I ask you a question, Alice?" Another happy nod. "Did you see the… destruction Edward had planned in biology yesterday?" Her smile fell and she slowly nodded. "You didn't know it was him at the time though did you?" Alice dropped her eyes and shook her head. I squeezed her hands. "In my dreams, I knew how Edward was able to leave me alive that day. But I have to ask. In my dreams, Edward had two choices you were able to see. He would either go to Carlisle and leave or he would come to my house where I would be alone. Was that still the same?" Alice looked up at me and nodded.

"Yes, those were his options, but I saw if he went to your house it would be empty until Charlie got home, so leaving was really his only choice because I refused to look at where you were." Alice whispered.

I jumped up to hug Alice. "Oh, thank God!" I cried. I froze as I realized I was hugging a vampire and quickly dropped my hands and stepped back.

Alice's grin let me know she wasn't upset and I grinned back. Esme had brought out my meal and I thanked them both before I dug in. I hadn't realized how hungry I was, but then I remembered I had skipped lunch today.

"Why are you relieved to hear that, Bella?" Carlisle asked.

I swallowed my bite of food and responded. "Well, I knew those would be Edward's two options, so I hid out in the grocery store until I knew Charlie would be home. I knew I was only an option if I was alone, so I figured I was safest in a crowd of people. I removed Edward's temptation which only left him with the correct choice."

Esme was appalled. "Oh, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. You must have been terrified."

I shook my head. "No, I wasn't afraid, just bored. I had to go to the store at some point this week anyway. It just normally doesn't take that many hours to complete." I shrugged off her concerns. "Edward will be fine and so will I. He's strong and so are the rest of you. But you might not want to wait that long before hunting from now on. You _all_ were at your weakest yesterday." I declared. "Plus you won't have such an extreme eye color transition to risk humans noticing." I added.

Alice and Emmett laughed, while Jasper and Rosalie seemed shocked and angry at my observation.

Carlisle cleared his throat and responded with a, "We'll keep that suggestion in mind."

In the silence left from his statement, Esme was able to ask her question. "So, what is it that you think you need our help to fix?"

I thought for a moment. I could say something about Edward to help our relationship along, but quickly dismissed the idea. "Well," I decided. "The first thing that happens isn't all that bad, but I would still like to prevent it. Next week it will become icy and one morning in the school parking lot, Tyler Crowley will hit a patch of ice while speeding and his van will slide into my truck." At this Rosalie huffed and mumbled something I couldn't hear. "The problem is that in the dream, I was in between the two vehicles. I would've been killed on impact, except one of you saw it in time and saved me. It's the first event that starts entangling my fate with yours. None of you were exposed, but I would still like to not have that happen. I'm worried that if I move my truck to a different spot or make sure I'm out of the way, then someone else might die in my place." I looked up and into Rosalie's eyes. "I was hoping Rosalie might be able to disable Tyler's van so he can't drive it next week."

Rosalie scoffed, "And why would I do that?"

I blinked. "Aren't you the best with cars in the family? I thought you were the mechanic? The one who supercharges all the vehicles, so they can go way faster than they should?" I questioned.

Emmett let out a laugh until he saw his wife's face. Rosalie huffed. "Yes, but why would I do anything for you?"

"Rose!" Esme scolded. "You will help us prevent this accident that could result in death or exposure." Esme waited until Rosalie gave her nod of consent. "Good. Now, dear is there anything else we can help you with?"

I thought about it before I spoke. "Um, no. Nothing else happens really for a while after that I think. But we can speak later about that because it's a bit more involved and I'd like to know what Alice sees before we decide anything." I paused as I phrased my next request, "I do have a favor though to ask, if it's at all possible."

"Go on dear." Esme encouraged kindly.

"Well, it's just that I'm a bit of a klutz." I grimaced. "I'm sure Carlisle could request my medical records to confirm that. So, I was just hoping that you all might watch out for me is all. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to bleed at all at school, particularly around Edward."

"No, Bella, you are quite right." Carlisle answered. I could already see him planning to look at my records next time he worked. "I'm sure everyone will be quite happy to keep an eye on you. Now before we send you home does anyone else have any more questions?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Interrogation**

"I have a question." Jasper stated as he stood and approached me. I felt a jolt of fear and wasn't sure if it was his doing or not. "How much do you know about us and how do we know we can trust you?"

I put my hands on the table and braced myself. "You can trust me." I replied honestly. "I know it is against the law for me to know anything. I will not do anything to put you in jeopardy and bring a death sentence down on us all."

"You said something in Italian earlier. Do you speak the language then?" Carlisle interrupted. I knew what he was asking without making it obvious.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I responded. "I don't speak Italian, but I will answer your true question. I know all about the Volturi, I've had dreams about them as well. _La Tua Cantante_ is how Aro phrased what I am to Edward." I heard gasps around the table. "I would never do anything to bring their attention to us." I looked up at Carlisle and into his eyes pleading him to listen. "Aro can never know how large your coven has grown or that you were successful in converting others into this lifestyle." I looked at Jasper now. "Aro would destroy this coven to have Edward and Alice join him." I left out myself from that list. They didn't need to know Bella possessed a gift just yet.

I grabbed Alice's hands and looked into her eyes. "For Alice's gift alone, Aro would burn the world."

I let go of her hands. I looked back up between Jasper and Carlisle with tears in my eyes. "You have my word that I will never do anything to bring destruction to this family. And I will do everything in my power to protect this family from the Volturi."

I dropped my head and felt Esme's hands rubbing my shoulders. I felt someone stir at my side and looked up at Alice's smiling face.

"No more questions!" Alice shouted. "It's getting late and Bella needs to be home before Charlie starts to worry." She grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the chair before picking me up and carrying me out. I heard various goodbyes as we left.

"I can walk, you know." I complained when she put me down.

"Well you said you were a klutz, so I was just being cautious." Came the retort from Alice.

"Yeah, right!" I griped. "Hey wait a minute; this is the passenger side."

"Yes, it is Bella. You are correct. Now get in! It's _my_ turn to ask questions!" Alice cheered. I patted my pockets for the keys only to hear the truck roar to life with Alice manically laughing. With no choice left, I climbed in.

"Just watch your speed, it's an antique!" I chided. She nodded, but was strangely quiet until we hit the main road.

"So Bella…" Alice turned towards me. "What are we to each other?"

"I don't know what you mean. What do you think we are or I guess will be?" I turned the question around on her.

"Bbbbbbeeeelllllllllllaaaaaaaaa!" She whined.

I decided to play along. "Wwwwhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaattttttt?" I asked. She was bouncing in her seat fully facing me now. I sighed and made a deal with her.

"Alright, if you go back to watching the road, I'll tell you." I promised. She screeched in excitement as she turned towards the road. "We are or will be best friends." Another squeal. "Although why you would ever want to be friends with a boring human is beyond me." I joked.

She pouted, but moved on quickly to her next question. "How long have you been able to see the future, Bella?" Alice asked with her voice full of hope.

I sighed. "Alice, I can't see the future. These dreams are it for me. It's a story that was told to me for whatever reason. I think I'm supposed to change some things and ensure others happen. After this story ends, that's it for me; no more future knowledge." I answered as kindly as possible. Alice continued pouting until a big smile lit her face as she pulled unto my street.

"Who are you to Edward? What are you to each other?" She inquired while bouncing on the seat.

I stuttered, "I'm his singer; I told you that already."

"Oh, so you're not his mate?" She asked, while smiling like she damn well knew the answer.

"I…ah…wha…how…ugh…can't anything stay a secret? It's too soon! What did you see? How did you find out?" I stammered.

Alice gave a carefree shrug and confessed. "I had my theories and I wasn't going to say anything. But Esme figured it out and will talk to Carlisle about it tonight. She's sooooo happy for Edward right now!"

"Alice, please promise me you won't let Edward find out yet! It's much too soon. I'm afraid if he doesn't figure it out on his own, he will run again. Promise me!" I begged.

She nodded. "Okay, I'll talk to Carlisle. Make sure our heads are clear of you when Edward comes home." She promised. "Now go, before Charlie begins to wonder why it's taking you so long to come in!" She pulled me out of the truck. "I'll see you at school tomorrow!" Alice shouted before she took off running for home.


	9. Outtake

**Chapter 8.5: Mother's Intuition**

Carlisle and Esme were laying in bed together, each with a need to be close to the other. After the revelations from earlier that night, every Cullen sought out the comfort from their spouse. After hours spent delighting in a silent embrace, Esme was the first to break the silence with a laugh.

"I certainly never expected that greeting from her. I don't think a human has ever willingly touched me like that." She giggled. "And the way she addressed you Carlisle, calling you _Sir_! I'm sure Emmett will have a field day with that for quite some time. I thought she was about to salute you!" She snorted.

Carlisle chuckled. "Yes, I definitely have never seen a human so at ease around us. She must be a very brave girl, unique as well. I have to wonder if she has a gift similar to Alice's. I'm curious if there could be a way to test her; if only we knew how Alice's gift worked when she was human." He inquired. "And they both seemed so familiar to each other; already arguing like best friends or sisters!" He finished with a laugh.

"I wonder how Jasper will feel about sharing some of his Alice time with a human." Esme commented. "This should definitely be an interesting stay. I better not hear anymore complaints about how boring it is to be high school students." She tittered.

A smirk appeared on Carlisle's face. "I'm sure Jasper will take some solace from seeing how protective Bella seemed to be of Alice. I don't like how much she appeared to know about the Volturi though. Her knowledge of them assures me she can be trusted, but I can't imagine what she dreamed about, to know so much and be as worried for Alice as she was. It's hard for me to combine her words with what I know about Aro, but I also believe her warning." He admitted.

"I'm glad she came to us to explain though, instead of waiting for Edward to hear what she knew of us. We would have moved unnecessarily, as soon as he heard her thoughts." Esme remarked. "He must have been too overwhelmed with his thirst to notice any alarming thoughts from her. That or she knew not to think anything inappropriate around him."

"I agree." Carlisle stated. "I'm curious to see if he will come back when she says he will. Not that I doubt her, but it will be fascinating to see her visions confirmed."

Esme's lips pulled to the side. "Yes, it was interesting what all she had to say on the subject of our Edward."

Carlisle looked confused. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, she clearly knew how close she came to dying yesterday, but trusted him enough to know that he probably wouldn't act on impulse. She even spent hours in a public place to remove herself from his temptation." Esme became more animated. "She knew how Edward would be spending his time this week, even joking about Tanya's interest in him. She's clearly dreamed of him, even when he was away from us." She had a wistful look in her eyes as she said this.

"What are you getting at, love?" Carlisle wondered.

Esme huffed, upset that she had to spell it out for him. "Well, _love_ , if you had been paying attention, you would have caught what she had to say about Edward or rather didn't say. Don't you remember when Bella said one of us would save her from the car accident." Carlisle nodded, still not understanding. "Why wouldn't she have said who it was?" Her husband shrugged. "I don't think she wanted to admit it was him. Why would Edward save her, _how_ could he save her; if she was just his singer? I think there's more to it." Esme continued, putting words to her suspicions. "Don't you remember her response to my question about her including herself with us?" She questioned.

"I did see that." Carlisle pondered. "She was about to say something, then backtracked and changed the subject. I meant to ask Alice what she was about to say, but she left to drive Bella home."

Esme nodded with a sweet smile on her face. "Bella said she is linked with our family, but didn't say why or how. I'm willing to bet there's more to her connection with us than her dreams or rather a reason she had those dreams in the first place." Esme laughed at the muddled expression on Carlisle's face. "Don't you see it yet? I think Bella and Edward are mates."

Before he could respond, there was a knock on the door. "Just a minute!" Carlisle yelled, as they raced to make themselves more presentable. When they were ready, he opened the door to a bouncing Alice, who danced into the room.

"Did Bella get home safely?" Esme asked her with a smile.

Alice nodded. "Yep! Oh, I'm just so excited!" She squealed.

"And just what exactly are you so excited about?" Esme asked.

The little pixie jumped up and down. "Bella and I are best friends." She screamed. "Or at least we will be!"

Esme chuckled. "That's great, dear. I'm happy for you both."

Carlisle looked disapprovingly at Alice. "Is there another reason for needing to speak with us in the middle of the night?" He asked.

Alice nodded slowly and moved to sit on the end of their now made bed. "I saw what Esme's conclusion was after tonight and I spoke with Bella about it."

"What did she say?" Esme inquired excitedly.

Alice grinned. "They're mates, Esme!" Alice jumped up to hug her motherly figure. "I thought so, too." She said. "I didn't want to say anything until I saw it, but I had a vision about your conversation and asked Bella about it. She confirmed it and that's why I had to see you tonight before you spoke with anyone else."

"Why is that?" Carlisle questioned.

A sigh came from Alice. "Bella said that it's too soon for Edward to know that yet. She said he needs to come to that conclusion on his own. She's asked that we keep our thoughts about her out of our heads when Edward comes home. We also can't tell any of the others. The less people that know, the safer we can keep that secret. Bella is worried that Edward will run again if he finds out from one of us, instead of figuring it out on his own"

"Oh, dear." Esme exclaimed. "We can't have that. I don't want anything jeopardizing Edward's happiness. Their relationship will be hard enough as it is. They will need all of our support and if Edward needs to figure out his feelings for Bella on his own time, than we will allow him that."

Carlisle ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, this should definitely be interesting. Edward's mate is human." He shook his head. "This will be the most difficult thing Edward has ever had to deal with. I don't see how he will be able to be that close with a human and his singer no less."

Esme laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "If Bella has faith in our son, than we need to as well. All we can do right now is offer them both our support. I know Edward possesses a strength that he is unaware of and I'm certain this will all work out for the best." Her husband nodded at her reflection.

Alice stood up from the bed and paused at the door waiting for Carlisle to speak. "Alice, I meant to ask you after the meeting; what was Bella about to say before she caught herself and backtracked? I saw the looked that passed between you two and know you saw." He questioned.

She turned towards him with a grin. "She was about to say _'I will be linked with your family forever'",_ Alice repeated, trying to mimic Bella's voice. With that, Alice spun out of the room, pulling the now locked door behind her with a click.

Esme beamed and pounced on a now speechless Carlisle, knocking them both onto the bed. Their happiness consumed them and they spent a restless night silently thanking Bella for coming into their lives and completing their family. As unorthodox as the situation seemed, they just needed to have a little faith that everything would work out in the end.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Friendships**

Charlie woke me in the same way the next morning. We've apparently established a routine. I got up with a groan and thought back to yesterday. I thought the meeting with the Cullens went about as well as expected. I had their help and Alice's friendship. I still wasn't happy that they knew about my connection to Edward though.

Charlie had seemed happy when I came home last night that I had made a friend so quickly. He, however, didn't seem thrilled that Renee had called him for an update since I had yet to email her. He gave me strict instructions to call her when I came home from school today. I did manage to send her a quick email before I crashed into bed last night.

I arrived at school anxious to see what the day brought, even though I was still disappointed Edward wouldn't be back yet. As I headed towards my first class, I saw the Cullens were still standing by their car. I smiled and waved, but kept walking. I found my mind drifting back to last night's conversation while in English class. I realized I never actually answered Jasper's question about what I knew of them. I decided to see what all I remembered from the books and opened my notebook to a blank page. I debated how to start, then planned to keep it cryptic just in case someone else read it.

 **CC – 1660s, Son of Preacher, England, Accident on raid, Discovered DIET**

 **EAM – 1918, Spanish Influenza, Chicago**

 **EPE – 1920s, Met CC when she was 16, Cliff**

 **RH – 1930s, Alley + Evil Bastards =** **Revenge** **Justice, New York**

 **EM – 1930s, Bear, Tennessee, Saved by RH**

 **JW – 1860s, Confederate Major, Texas, Maria & Wars, Saved by AWC in 1948 Philadelphia**

 **AWC – 1920s, No Memory, Saw JW & Family**

There that should work. It only makes sense if you're in the loop and would make zero sense if anyone else were to find the sheet of paper. I had surprised myself with how many details I remembered from the books. When did I last read them? I tore the page from my notebook and shoved it in my pocket. Again, Jessica escorted me to lunch today. However, there was a break in plans when Alice met me at the door. She grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Jessica.

"Hi, Bella." Alice trilled loud enough for the eavesdroppers to overhear. "I was wondering if you would eat lunch with us today. It's been a bit boring without my annoying brother here and we would love to get to know you more." She smiled.

I mumbled out a reply even Alice wouldn't have been able to understand and allowed her to pull me to her table. I looked behind me and mouthed "sorry" towards the gaping mouths of the other juniors. When we approached the table, I noticed the others. Rosalie was studiously ignoring me, Emmett was wearing a huge grin, and Jasper was looking at Alice with an eyebrow raised. With my mouth hanging open, Alice pushed me into a chair and slid a tray of food in front of me. I stared at their expectant faces, unsure of what I was supposed to do. I busied myself by pulling off the label from a bottle of water in front of me.

Alice broke the silence first. "I thought we all could get to know you more since you seem to know about us." She offered.

"You mean, while Edward's not here to question your sanity?" I countered. Emmett laughed and Jasper smirked while Rosalie mumbled something I couldn't understand.

"I just thought it would be nice if we could all be friends. We've never had friends from school before and I hoped it would be fun. And it would be nice to have someone to eat our food, so we didn't have to hide as much." Alice specified.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, I see how it is. You wanted a working stomach on your side for a change. Always an opportunist." I joked. "Since the _Great_ _Alice_ sees all, why don't you begin." I concluded.

She stuck her tongue out, but began asking me questions. They weren't too evasive and I'm sure they all knew the answers to most of them already, since I had already been asked the same questions by various people in town. I kept up the charade as though we were human friends just getting to know each other, aware it would make Alice happy to pretend to be human. Eventually, Emmett jumped in with questions about my adventures with Renee. He seemed to enjoy hearing about all my clumsy mishaps and I thought for sure we would get in trouble with his loud laughter echoing throughout the cafeteria.

Finally, Jasper butted into the conversation with a smirk toward Alice. "So," he started. "Now that we know more about _Bella Swan_ , will you tell us what you know about us?"

I had completely forgotten about the slip of paper in my pocket. Alice must have seen me writing it and ordered Jasper to bring the topic up. I pulled the paper out and handed it to Jasper. He read it briefly with a lifted eyebrow. He passed the note around the table while tapping his lips with a finger. I was wondering what they were thinking when I heard a noise that caused me to jump. It sounded like a cross between a growl and a whimper. I turned my head to the source of the noise.

"Rosalie," I began. She interrupted me by throwing the paper on the table.

"I don't need your pity!" She snarled. I put my hand up in surrender.

"Pity?" I asked. "Why would I ever pity Rosalie Hale? Rosalie the beautiful bombshell who is also a complete badass. The woman who was strong enough to seek revenge as a newborn without giving into instinct and then to save a dying bleeding man only a short while later. The Cullen who's control rivals Carlisle's and has a better record than Edward. The fighter who could probably give Jasper a run for his money if she tried hard enough. The wife that's the only person capable of tempering Emmett. The daughter who accepted Esme and forgave Carlisle. The sister that would stand on the front lines to protect what's hers. Pity is a word that would never cross anyone's mind from even a glance at your reflection. I don't pity you; maybe envy, but never pity." Rosalie huffed, but didn't respond otherwise.

Jasper spoke up after a glance at Rosalie. "Can you tell us how you came to find out about our histories?" He asked.

"That's a bit of a loaded question." I responded. "Obviously, we knew each other for longer than a week. There are other key players and future events that necessitated my knowledge. It would be too confusing to try to explain, particularly for you and Rosalie as I was the last to learn about you both." I looked around the table. "If it makes you all feel better, I know your histories from your own words. Anything you wouldn't want me to know, you wouldn't have told me." I confessed.

They all looked relieved at this admission; Emmett for Rosalie's sake more than his. Alice quickly moved the conversation onto lighter topics including the time Emmett wrecked Rosalie's 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV trying not to run over a squirrel.

"Oh my God! Emmett!" I wheezed through my mirth. "You have super-fast reflexes. How did you manage to wreck a car?"

He rolled his eyes. "It was nothing more than a scratch and that damn squirrel just couldn't make up its mind!" He proclaimed. "Besides, I made it up to Rose by buying her the 1974 Lamborghini Countach." Emmett grabbed Rosalie around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head.

"Yeah, but don't forget that your drive home from the dealership was the last time you were allowed behind the wheel of that car." Alice confessed, only to be drowned out by our laughter.

The bell rang and Jasper caught my attention. "What are you going to tell your friends about spending lunch with us?" He asked while nodding towards Jessica's table, where almost everyone still sat staring at us.

I grinned. "I'll just tell them you and Emmett were trying to get on my good side and asked if I would be able to help you out, if you ever ended up in the backseat of my dad's police cruiser."

The boys laughed and I stood from the table. Looking over towards Jessica, it seemed the laughter had startled them out of their trance and they were now rushing to gather their things to make it to class on time. I giggled and waved as I walked past on my way to Biology. I needed to enjoy my happiness before the inquisition from Mike & Jessica started.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Thankfully, Mr. Banner had prepared a pop quiz for us today, so I was able to avoid Mike's questioning glances for the entire period. I knew my good luck couldn't last when Mike grabbed my arm on the way to gym. I shook him off me, surprised at the anger I felt at his simple touch.

"So… you and the Cullens, huh?" Mike stammered out. I wanted to giggle at his eloquence.

I thought about how I wanted to respond. "Yeah, Alice and I actually have a lot in common. She's super nice! Did you know she wants to be a fashion designer when she finishes school? How cool is that?" I said excitedly.

This seemed to throw Mike off his train of thought. He hadn't expected me to give him such a normal and girly answer. I was able to make my way to the locker room before he thought to ask his next question. Unfortunately, I knew my good luck couldn't last.

He caught me again as soon I entered the gym. "Yeah, but what about the rest of them? The brothers seemed to be getting close to you at lunch."

I held back my sigh. Ah, so he was jealous. I wanted to tell him to wait until the correct Cullen came back to town but held my tongue.

I rolled my eyes. "Jasper and Emmett seemed more interested in my dad being chief of police than anything about me. They kept asking what it was like inside the cruiser. When I told them I could think of a few ways they'd be able to see the car from the back seat, Jasper asked if I'd have any leverage if either of them did end up in that scenario." I laughed.

This caught Mike off guard yet again. I could tell that he wasn't used to hearing about the Cullens being so normal and human. I hoped I was saying the right things to avoid problems in the future.

"Oh, um, yeah I guess that make sense." Mike mumbled. "Say Bella, _would_ you have any leverage with your dad if I ended up in the back of his cruiser?" He flirted poorly.

I just grinned hoping Alice was watching. "I'll tell you what I told them. Stay on my good side and I'll see what I can do."

My answers seemed to satisfy Mike for the time being and I was left alone for the rest of gym. I was in a state of great relief until Jessica grabbed me when I exited the locker room. She was physically panting, making me think she had literally ran across campus to catch me after our last class. I vaguely wondered if I would have a bruise on my arm from where she grabbed me in her hurry.

"What's going on with you and the Cullens?" She accused, as she pulled me around the corner of the building. The same corner I had pulled Alice to just the day before.

"What do you mean Jessica? I was just making friends with Alice. She's really nice and we actually have a lot in common." I wasn't comfortable with the way this conversation was going.

Jessica huffed. "The Cullens don't make friends." She paused. "You better watch yourself before they drop you for the next new student."

I was shocked. Jessica was never this hostile in the book towards Bella. I felt tears gathering in my eyes on behalf of the Cullens.

"I'm just trying to make friends and fit in at a new school." I cried. "Alice was just trying to be nice because she knows what its like to move schools and be the new student. I don't know what they did to you, but they've been anything but welcoming to me."

I watched Jessica take a step back. She was surprised at my response and didn't know what to say.

Finally, she spoke. "I'm sorry Bella. I should have said that. The Cullens haven't done anything since they arrived besides stick to themselves. There's just something about them and I was worried you would get sucked in." She took a breath. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. Can we still be friends?"

I gave a small smile. "That's all I've wanted since I arrived Jessica. You can't imagine how hard this move has been on me. I was just happy to be making friends who understood." After a brief awkward hug, we departed for the parking lot, promising to hang out sometime soon.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding once I reached my truck at the end of the lot. I gave myself a small smile when I thought about how well I had pulled off my lies to Mike and Jessica. Bella was supposed to be a terrible liar and here I was feeling like I was pulling the con of the century. I laughed at that thought. Although, I hadn't truly lied to either of them. Sure, I skirted around the truth and made some things up, but there was a slight truth to everything I had said. I drove home wondering who had actually spoken today, Bella or my true self. A self that I was starting to lose.

I was happy to have the house to myself while I prepared dinner for Charlie and me. Once dinner was in the oven, I decided to call Renee. The call was not as bad as I expected. While Renee was upset that I hadn't called until now, she was thrilled to hear I was making friends and enjoying Forks. I was happy to remove any guilt she may have had over my move. It was easy to switch the conversation back to her travels with Phil.

Charlie and I ate in relative silence when he got home. He too seemed relieved that I was fitting into the small-town life. I promised myself that I would not be breaking Charlie's heart this time around. He's too good of a man to be put through what he was in the books. After the dishes were done and Charlie hit the couch, I went upstairs to finish the little bit of homework I had left. I fell asleep feeling almost weightless with content.

I awoke early on Friday morning. I passed Charlie in uniform on my way to the bathroom. Even he seemed shocked that I was awake and in such a good mood today. I was showered and headed to my closet in no time. I sighed when I took in my limited selection of warm clothes. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed to go shopping soon. I wondered about asking Alice if she wanted to go with me. Surely it wouldn't be as bad of an experience like what was described in the book.

It seemed my happiness that this would be my last day of school without Edward was noticeable. I couldn't have told you what was discussed in English first period; my mind was too focused on the thought of Edward returning this weekend. Jessica was slightly cold to me in Trig. I guess I couldn't blame her. She had spent two years trying to be friends with the Cullens, only for me to effortlessly fit in with them.

No one was surprised when Alice met me in the cafeteria again today. The looks coming from my human friends subdued my mood. I hated that I might have to choose between them and the Cullens. Jasper gave me a questioning look as I sat down at their table. I just shook my head and picked up a piece of food to play with.

Emmett was the first to break the silence. "What's wrong little Bella? Who do I have to beat up for you?" Leave it to Emmett to lighten the mood.

I giggled. "You don't have to beat anyone up for me, Em. It's just that not everyone is happy about our newfound friendship." I dropped my head.

"Who cares what they think? Its not as if any of them can see past their own noses." Rosalie huffed and flipped her hair.

I was stunned into silence at her statement. Was Rosalie starting to like me? I realized my mouth was hanging open and quickly shut it. I wondered if my declaration towards her yesterday had won me some favor in her eyes. This could make for an interesting turn of events.

The table was silent after her statement. I proceeded to busy myself by eating. I noticed Jasper glancing between all of us sitting there. For once I wished I had Edwards gift and could know what everyone was thinking.

"Oh My Gosh! I can't believe I forgot!" Alice's shrill voice broke the silence.

I jumped, but it was Jasper who responded. "What did you forget Alice?" He asked.

"Bella and I have shopping to plan!" She screamed while bouncing in her seat.

My eyebrows knitted together until I remembered the thought I had standing in front of my closet this morning. I needed to reign her in as soon as possible.

"Alice, I just need some new sweaters for the cold weather. Its nothing major. I just thought we could go shopping together since I don't even know what stores are in the area." I stated calmly.

She wasn't about to be deterred though. "Oh, I know just the stores to take you to! We're going to need a whole day. Do you think you can be ready at 8am tomorrow?"

I stared at her a second until I processed what she had just said. "Um, I'm not going shopping tomorrow. I just had a thought this morning to ask if you possibly wanted to go with me, not to make definite plans and definitely not for tomorrow. This will me my first weekend in Forks. I haven't even completely unpacked yet."

"Come on Bella!" She whined. "It will be fun."

I wasn't letting her win this round. "No, Alice. Not this weekend. Besides your brother will be coming home and you should be there to welcome him."

"You said he'd be back Sunday night, so we would have all day Saturday for shopping." She accused.

I thought back to my conversation the other night and decided to come clean. "I don't actually know when he will get back; just that he will be there in time for school Monday morning. I didn't think you would want to return early from shopping to greet him."

"Are you sure we can't go tomorrow?" She paused then shook her head with a huff. "I can see that you won't change your mind on this. But I also can't see when Edward will return because he refuses to make a decision." She pouted. I relaxed until a huge smile broke out on her face. "Yes! Perfect! Next Saturday it is. Oh, this is great. Esme will be able to come with us too since we are waiting until then."

I didn't have an argument in place for the following weekend, so I just agreed to the plans. I was kind of excited to hear that Esme would be coming with us. I hoped she might be able to tame Alice just a bit and I was looking forward to spending some time with the matriarch of the family.

I was lost in my thoughts of next weekend when Emmett asked if I was planning on spending the rest of the day in the cafeteria with a laugh. I hadn't even noticed that lunch had ended. I walked to my empty table in Biology, nervous for Monday when Edward would be next to me. Mike met me after class and walked me to gym. I was glad to see he wasn't holding a grudge about my friendship with the Cullens.


End file.
